Line-composing machine.



T. S. HOMANS.

LINE COMPOSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 11. 1913.

1,1 49,7 68. Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

INVENTOR 720mm J: 551M1 5,

I I IATTORNEY pNrTEp s'rATEs PATENT orrion THOMAS s. I-IOMANS, E HEMPSTEAD, NEW YoE ssIeNoR T0 INTERNATIONAL TYPESETTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Application filed October 11, 1913.

T 0 "allwhom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS SLHOMANS,

' a citizen of the United States, residing at especially to those of the linotype class employing a vertically movable elevator wherein matrices are assembled to form a line The primary object of the inventionis to provide an assembling elevator ofthis character with means for preventing displacement or dislodgment of the matrices from their supporting ledgesinthe elevator when the upward movement thereof is arrested suddenly or abruptly, the present invention being applicable to machines using either single character matrices which are all assembled at the same level, or-two character matrices which are assembled either at an upper level, at a lower level, or at both upper and lower levels.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvements, and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the

1 novel features being pointed out particularly in the claims at'the end of the specification.

In the accompanying; drawing :-Figure 1 is a front elevation of an assembling elevator and cooperative parts as commonly used on machines of this class having the present invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 represents a transverse vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig.1 and looking toward theleft; Fig. 3 shows inperspective and on an enlarged scale the lower portion of the cam plate.

Similar parts are designated by the same' reference characters in the several views.

The'present invention is applicable gen-v plied to the'assembling elevator ofthe type c commonly usedin machines of the linotype class, but it is to be understood that the invention isnot limited in this regard and it Specification of Letters Patent.

LINE-COMPOSING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

Serial No. 794,707.

ces are delivered from the magazine in the usual way and drop upon the guide 4: .which directs the matrices to the rotating starwheel 5, the latter operating in the usual way to introduce the matrices into the matrix channel of the assembling elevator while the latter occupies its lower position, as shown by the full lines in Fig. 1. After a line of matrices has been assembled, the assembling elevator rises to the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, the matrix channel 2 in the elevator being then on a level with the matrix delivery channel (3. In machines using matrices bearing single characters, all of such matrices. are assembled on the ledges 8. In machines using two letter matrices, a rail -7 is provided above the ledges 3, the matrices at the lower or normal level being then supported by the ledges 3 while those assembled at the upper level are supported by thev rail 7. This rail is movable into and out of the matrix channel 20f the elevator in order that matrices may be assembled on this rail orthey may fall below this rail when the latter is retracted.

The upward movement of the elevator containing a line of matrices maybe accomplished either by hand or power, but in either case, its upward movement is liable to be interrupted suddenly or abruptly when the limit thereof is reached, and in using assembling elevators as heretofore constructed, the matrices are apt to be jarred off or dislodged from their supporting or retaining ledges or rails. It is customary to employ a stop bar 8 to prevent dislodg ment of the matrices assembled at an upper level, but no means has been provided to prevent dislodgment of the matrices assembledat the lower level. Should .anyof the matrices assembled at the lower level rise from their supporting ledges, they would be apt to strike the rail 9 in the matrix delivery chan nel during the transfer of the line thereto of the elevator during the rising movement of the latter and hence will occupy a position above the lugs or cars on the lower ends of the matrices which are assembled at the lower level. This rail will thereby prevent the matrices resting on the ledges 3 from rising therefrom. Different means may be provided for accomplishing this result. In the construction shown, the rail 7 is shifted into and out of the matrix channel of the elevator by a pair of arms 10 which operate in notches or openings in the rail and are fixed to a rock shaft 11, the

latter being mounted in bearings on the elevator and having an arm 12 fixed thereto. A cam plate 18 is fixed to. a suitable stationary part of the machine and is formed with a vertical cam groove 1 1 having an offset 15 at the lower end thereof. A switch 16 is pivotally mounted at the lower end of the cam plate and divides the offset portion 15 from the cam groove 14. A pin or projection 17 on the lower end of the arm 12 is arranged to operate in the cam groove let and its ofl'set 15 during the rising and descending movements of the elevator. When the elevator occupies its lowermost position, the pin or projection 17 on the arm 12 is below the cam plate and hence the arm 12 is free to swing and therefore it will not interfere with the shifting of the rail 7 either into or out of the matrix channel in the assembling elevator preparatory to the assembling of the matrices therein. When a line of matrices has been assembled, the rail 7 will either project into the matrix channel or will occupy the retracted position, as shown in Fig. 2, this depending upon whether the matrices are all assembled on the lower level. In most cases, the lower level is more generally used, the rail being then in its retracted position. When the elevator rises with the rail 7 in retracted position, the pin 17 on the arm 12 will enter the offset portion 15 of the cam groove and when it engages the inclined portion thereof, the arm 12 will be pulled forward, thereby pushing the rail 7 into the matrix channel with its inner edge overhanging the lugs or cars of the matrices assembled at the lower level. The pin or projection 17 then follows the straight portion of the cam groove 1e until the rising movement of the elevator is arrested. The rail 7 is therefore held positively in a position above the lugs or ears on the lower matrices and prevents displacement or rising of these matrices from their-supporting ledges. After the line of matrices has been transferred from the elevator to the delivery channel 6, the elevator descends, as usual, to its normal position. During the descent of the elevator, the pin 17 will follow the straight portion of the cam groove 14: until it encounters the switch 16, the latter then occupying the position shown in Fig. 2 and operating to guide the pin 17 into the offset portion 15 thereby rocking the arm 12 and retracting the rail 7, thus preparing the elevator to again receive matrices at the lower level. If the rail 7 is set to support matrices at the upper level, the pin 17 on the arm 12 will then occupy a position directly beneath the straight portion of the cam groove 14- and when the elevator rises, this pin 17 will enter the cam groove at the forward'side of the switch 16 and will operate to retain the rail 7 within the matrix channel, thereby preventing displacement or rising of any matrices that may be assembled at the lower level. When the rail 7 occupies this position, the switch 16 will be automatically set by the pin 17 into the position shown in Fig. 3 and the rising and falling movements of the elevator will not affect the position of the rail 7.

In a construction such as that described, the rail 7 occupy its retaining position during the assembling of the matrices, in

which case the rail will remain in such position during the rising and falling of the elevator, or the rail may be retracted during the assembling of the matrices at the lower level, in which case the rail will be automaticallybrought into retaining position during the rising of the elevator, and when the latter descends, the rail will be automatically returned to its retracted position. In both instances, all matrices assembled at the lower level will be held from displacement or rising and will be guided so as to properly enter the transfer channel.

In machines using single character matrices which are assembled at the lower level only, a fixed inclined wall may be used instead of the switch, as the pin 17 would then always follow the offset in the cam groove to retract the retaining rail when the elevator approaches its lower position.

I claim as my invention 1. In a line composing machine, the combination with an assembling elevator having a channel for receiving matrices at two levels, of a rail movable into said channel to prevent rising of the lower level matrices, and means for automatically moving said rail into operative position and holding it in such position during rising movement of the elevator.

2. In a line composing machine, the combination with an assembling elevator having a channel for receiving matrices at two levels, of a rail movable into said channel to prevent rising of the lower level matrices, means for automatically moving said rail IOU into operative position and holding it in such position during rising movement of 'the ele vator, and means for retracting said rail during descent of the elevator.

3. In combination, an assembling elevator for receiving a line of matrices, a rail mounted in said elevator and movable transversely to engage with or disengage from said line, and means for automatically moving said rail into engaging position as the elevator rises.

4. In a line composing machine, the combination of an assembling elevator adapted to receive matrices at upper and lower levels, a movable rail for sustaining matrices at the upper level and also adapted to engage the lower level matrices'to prevent rising thereof, means for setting said rail into or out of engaging position at will, and automatic means for providing that the rail shall be in engaging position when the elevator is in its upper position and in its original set position when the elevator returns to normal position.

5. In combination, an assembling elevator for receiving a line of matrices, a rail movably mounted in said elevator and adapted to engage and retain the matrices, means for setting the rail in or out of engaging position when the elevator is at its lower or receiving position at will, and automatic means for moving and holding said rail during the ascent and descent of the elevator, whereby the rail will be in engaging position when the elevator is at its upper position, and will be in its original setting when returned to its lower position.

6. In a line composing machine, the combination with an assembling elevator having a channel to receive a line of matrices, of a' rail capable of being set in or out of said channel at will, and means operative automatically to hold said rail in said channel during rising movement of the elevator and positioning said rail according to its original setting when the elevator returns to its normal lower position.

7. In a line composing machine, the combination with an assembling elevator having a channel to receive a line of matrices, of a rail movable into and out of said channel and having an operating arm, and a cam plate having a groove to cooperate with said arm to hold said rail in said channel when so set, and having an offset portion cooperative with said arm to move said rail to and from operative position, and a switch between said groove and offset.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS S. HOMANS.

Witnesses I W. E. BURTRAM, CON. A. KRIEG.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner or ratents, Washington, D. G. 

